WASHINGTON (CNN) - At 27 years old, Illinois Republican Rep. Aaron Schock is the youngest member of Congress. He's also possessed of washboard abs and has, as of late, become a favorite target of celebrity gossip outlet TMZ. And the daughter of the last Republican presidential candidate thinks he might just be the answer to the GOP's troubles.

"The first time I ever heard of Congressman Aaron Schock, I was hanging out with some friends during a girls' night in, and one of my friends yelled to me from the other room: 'Meghan, there's a congressman on TMZ,'" Meghan McCain writes Tuesday in her latest blog post for the Daily Beast. "To which I answered: 'Twenty bucks he's a Democrat.' Well, I was wrong."

"...At the end of the day, Congressman Schock is only three years older than me. Which means he can relay a message in ways my father never could," she says.

TMZ is owned by Time Warner, which is also the parent company of CNN.

McCain gives Schock high marks for reaching out to demographic groups that do not traditionally vote Republican, for his calls for greater ideological flexibility, and his decision to avoid negative campaign ads.

"As someone who has been personally attacked when I invited political discourse, I firmly believe that talking about our differences - instead of mudslinging - can only bring people closer to the Republican Party and force them to take a second look at their candidates," she writes, referring to recent public spats with conservative commentators Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter.

McCain says the "congressman-turned-TMZ-hottie" may be the cure for what ails the GOP: "If nothing else, in an Obama-crazed land, he is getting people's attention and putting another fresh face at the center of what it is too often perceived as an old-news, boring party."

soundoff(203 Responses)

That is something that you need to figure out as you take your political journey.

There is nothing special about the Republican message. It is antiquated.

Trickle down didn't work for Reagan and it won't work for the next Republican.

Join America, girl! We are hopeful that new policies will include EVERYONE, not just the filthy rich who got there on MY BACK!

March 31, 2009 01:17 pm at 1:17 pm |

Scott the Independent

There goes that republican party again – looking at all the wrong attributes to assess ability, skill and competence.

March 31, 2009 01:18 pm at 1:18 pm |

Joanna

If more republicans were like Meghan i would consider joining the party. But as they stand now, no way.

March 31, 2009 01:18 pm at 1:18 pm |

Anonymous

OMG.....another career politician who has never done anything in the real world....is this the future? not only we have old politicians that refused to leave DC but now they make it a life long career right after graduating from college....Who the heck voted for this guy?

March 31, 2009 01:19 pm at 1:19 pm |

Old white lady in Birmingham, AL

Just the image the GOP was looking for, a young guy at the pool with a set of double Ds hanging over his head.

March 31, 2009 01:19 pm at 1:19 pm |

andyoo

he is young , so what? congressman can't look good?
you guys complaining about republician just because one of their member is young should be ashame of yourself.
is that reverse age discriminiation?
yes, he come out to run, but it's the american people of that great state that voted for him.
so if you want to blame, blame americans, not republicians.

March 31, 2009 01:19 pm at 1:19 pm |

moderate_conservative

People are reading way too much into this. M McCain simply pointed out that this young congressman "breaks the mold" for typical members of the GOP and has the potential to communicate to an audience that has been missed in years past. Period.

Schock didn't seek out TMZ, they sought him out. And now we're here discussing a congressman that I didn't even know existed 15min ago.

Congressman Schock will have to prove himself overtime to see if he has what it takes to truly serve this country and possibly be a voice that Americans can relate to and support. There are a lot of voices in politics right now, but I'm still waiting for a voice that speaks my values.

Just because Schock has six-pack abs doesn't qualify him for leadership, but it doesn't disqualify him either. Would you rather our congressman have beer belly guts with zero discipline to do a situp?

March 31, 2009 01:20 pm at 1:20 pm |

EBC, Boyds MD

I'm sorry is Meghan McCain an authority on anything? This guy is clearly still "wet" behind his ears. Just look at the photos.

March 31, 2009 01:20 pm at 1:20 pm |

Art

She should keep her mouth shut. He is not even old enough to be President.

March 31, 2009 01:20 pm at 1:20 pm |

Looking for Mr. Right

The GOP just wanders from person to [person – looking for a quick fix for the failures of their ideas ... first it was Palin – ya bettcha! The the great white hope was Bobby from New Orleans with the backing Michael Steele – who also disappoints ... now its the new guy with killer abs!

Haven't heard any great GOP ideas yet ... other than a 19 page budget with no specifics and no numbers ... its going to take a lot of real substance to really be a "a fresh view of the NEW REPUBLICAN party" ...
will he even be allowed an independent (non-base-kissing) thought?

March 31, 2009 01:20 pm at 1:20 pm |

JL

OK, so clearly the GOP memebers have nothing to do.

March 31, 2009 01:23 pm at 1:23 pm |

Sniffit

@ Waiting for the POstpartisan Era, who said "Imagine how the comments would change if he were a Democrat. Scary."

Indeed. If a Democrat was spewing some of the ideological dribble this kid spews, he'd be booted from the party for being a Republican.

March 31, 2009 01:24 pm at 1:24 pm |

Becky

Meghan needs a date? Why are the Republicans so hung up on looks over substance? Do they still think Americans are that stupid?

March 31, 2009 01:25 pm at 1:25 pm |

J

Why do we listen to this clueless 20 year old lib about the republican party?

March 31, 2009 01:26 pm at 1:26 pm |

Ambrose Smith, Borrego Springs, California

Whoop de whoop. Palin is PRETTY TOO.

But has no substance.

Next!

March 31, 2009 01:28 pm at 1:28 pm |

Todd

The New GOP

Washboard Abs... and tax cuts for the rich.

March 31, 2009 01:28 pm at 1:28 pm |

Vern

It's well known and accepted around his district that Aaron is gay. TMZ is setting him up for a fall. They've been slowly introducing Aaron to the mainstream over the past couple of months to build interest and hype. They either already have something on him already or know that a scandal is coming soon. That's their game.

March 31, 2009 01:29 pm at 1:29 pm |

James

The future of the Republican party is bright despite the claims of the liberial elite.

If you are waiting for your government to take care of you- instead of taking care of yourself- then you really need to take a personal inventory of your life and choices.
Pesonal responsibility is the Republican way and the American way.

March 31, 2009 01:31 pm at 1:31 pm |

Kevin

His body may be young, but his mind is old and weak.

March 31, 2009 01:32 pm at 1:32 pm |

Steven

Republicans are so out of style, it doesn't matter how good looking they are. We already tried having a president everybody wanted to have a beer with, and look where that got us. Give me a break.

March 31, 2009 01:37 pm at 1:37 pm |

jo

The Republican Party, delivering more gimmicks. It shows what they think of the dignity and intelligence of the American people.

They figured we voted for Obama because he was a minority and a new face: Enter Sarah Palin. They thought we liked him because he was a black guy. Enter: Michael Steele. They thought it's just the extreme left against the extreme right: Enter: Rush. They think we just want cool hip people who get our attention: Enter this guy.

They never think we actually look at the people who can help us to get more of what we want. Affordable health care, better standard of living, hope for the environment and our children's future, excellent and affordable education, decent pay for the work we do, dignity, a better quality of life.

Nope, we just want gimmicks that look good. Wrong!

March 31, 2009 01:38 pm at 1:38 pm |

Richard L

Maybe he'll run with Palin and there will be a Ken & Barbie ticket.

March 31, 2009 01:41 pm at 1:41 pm |

joeb

Just what we need; Palin Schock.

March 31, 2009 01:44 pm at 1:44 pm |

gl, Pittsburgh

He's cute, but he is not the answer to the Republicans problems. He will find himself and some type of trouble becasue he is too young to say away from trouble – like women who would love to destroy him. He is too young to know what women to stay away from.

March 31, 2009 01:44 pm at 1:44 pm |

At Last

First they had Palin as the GOP female stand-in for Hillary, then Steele appeared as the GOP black stand-in for Obama – when will they figure out that these cardboard dolls aren't working. I'm from the left but even we know that we need a healthy balance between the two wings to fly without falling over and we aren't getting it.